Is the job of a scheduler merely to find an available press with adequate tonnage? If your employees believe that this is a true statement, then you are surely experiencing more molding problems and inefficient cycles than necessary.
Ask your scheduler and supervisors these questions:
v How do you match an injection mold to an injection machine?
v Are there advantages to assigning certain jobs to certain types of presses?
v What types of jobs will easily run on a two-stage press and which jobs are better suited to run on a three-stage press?
v Which jobs will run faster in a toggle?, Which jobs require a hydraulic clamp to meet specs?
v Should a screw rotate during the injection stroke? What does it mean if it does?
v Should you be monitoring melt temperature or barrel profile temperatures?, RPMs or % screw speed?, Mold surface temperature or water temperature to the mold?
v Is there a difference between materials of the same grade with different lot numbers?
v What kind of information does a supervisor/process technician need from an operator when a machine breaks down?
Wisely matching injection molds to injection molding machines is more involved than just finding an available press with adequate tonnage. Efficient use of molding machines require an intimate knowledge of the molds, process, and the different types of machines available- not just their capacities but more importantly their capabilities (such as the difference in clamping units, controllers, hydraulic pumps and valves, screw types, non-return valve types, open nozzle or nozzle shut-off, etc.) Certain molds will run better on certain machines and their cycles will be more efficient and robust. Let Guiness Technologies, Inc. provide customized scheduler/supervisor training for your company.